NMFS Alaska Region Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Program

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
0648-0445 Supporting Statement A_PR BM42.docx Supporting Statement A	2023-09-23
50 CFR § 679.28 - Equipment and operational requirements.pdf Supplementary Document	2020-10-22
Magnuson-Stevens Act - Amended 2007.pdf Supplementary Document	2020-10-22

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
4528	VMS Purchase, Installation, Maintenance, Transmission Costs, & Troubleshooting	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 0648-0445	ICR Reference No: 202309-0648-006
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 202008-0648-006
Agency/Subagency: DOC/NOAA	Agency Tracking No:
Title: NMFS Alaska Region Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Program
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 10/19/2023

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved	02/29/2024
Responses	758	611
Time Burden (Hours)	3,102	2,476
Cost Burden (Dollars)	973,836	812,668

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Abstract: The National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS), Alaska Regional Office, requests extension and revision of this currently approved information collection for the NMFS Alaska Region Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Program pursuant to proposed rule 0648-BM42. NMFS requires owners and operators of selected vessels participating in federally managed groundfish and crab fisheries off Alaska to obtain, install, and maintain an operational, NMFS-approved VMS. Tracking vessel location using VMS is required to monitor compliance with area-specific catch allocations, monitor compliance with requirements to redeploy or remove fishing gear from commercial fishing grounds, and monitor compliance with complicated time and area closures in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands to protect Steller sea lion or essential fish habitat. This information collection is revised due to the proposed rule (RIN 0648-BM42) to implement Amendment 16 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Salmon Fisheries in the EEZ Off Alaska. Amendment 16 and the rule would establish Federal fishery management for all salmon fishing that occurs in the Cook Inlet Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which includes commercial drift gillnet and sport (recreational) salmon fisheries. This collection is revised to include vessels commercially fishing for salmon in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area that would be required to install and maintain an operational VMS. This increases the number of respondents for this collection. This rule would also add a new information collection for the Cook Inlet EEZ commercial salmon fishery under a new OMB control number. NMFS is submitting a separate request for the new collection.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 16 USC 773-773k Name of Law: Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982
   PL: Pub.L. 94 - 265 303 Name of Law: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
0648-BM42	Proposed rulemaking	88 FR 72314	10/19/2023

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Federal Register Notices & Comments

Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
VMS Purchase, Installation, Maintenance, Transmission Costs, & Troubleshooting

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	758	611	0	138	9	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	3,102	2,476	0	610	16	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	973,836	812,668	0	150,080	11,088	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: The proposed rule increases the the number of vessels required to have VMS installed. The adjustment is due to a small number of vessels expected to have transmission costs, and administrative error reporting the time burden.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $22,248

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(i) Why the information is being collected;

(ii) Use of information;

(iii) Burden estimate;

(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);

(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and

(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.

Certification Date: 10/19/2023

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